How Ole Miss football is fixing defense for rematch vs Georgia in Sugar Bowl
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As Ole Miss football tries to avoid a repeat of the first Georgia game, Rebels defensive players keep coming back to one thing they still can’t believe heading into the Sugar Bowl.
Asked what he remembered most about the 43-35 loss, Ole Miss defensive lineman Will Echoles said, “Them not punting the ball.”
Ole Miss (12-1) plays Georgia (12-1) in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on Jan. 1 (7 p.m., ESPN) in New Orleans.
“Not allowing them to punt, not one time,” Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery said Dec. 27 during media availability. “That was the first time ever in my life being in a game like that. Gotta be completely better.”
The defense allowed 510 yards in the first game. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns, including three to tight end Lawson Luckie.
Ole Miss allowed an average of 19.3 points and 339.9 yards for the season.
Ole Miss did lead 35-26 heading into the fourth quarter in Athens on Oct. 18, but the Bulldogs scored the final 17 points.
Echoles was asked what he thought happened to the Rebels’ defense in the game at Georgia.
“Moment get big, big stadium, big crowd,” Echoles said. “We just all gotta be on the same page.”
How Ole Miss is addressing what went wrong vs Georgia
Co-defensive coordinator Bryan Brown said the process of correcting the mistakes in Ole Miss’ only loss this season started after the Georgia game.
“One thing was leverage, just having the correct leverage, whether it’s blocks or angles on tackles,” Brown said. “We have tried to correct that throughout the year. Working on it right now tirelessly. Some of it is want to as well.”
Safety Wydett Williams said there was a change that began after the Georgia loss with the Rebels defense.
“After that game we had to lock in more as a defense,” Williams said. “We had to bond more as a team, whatever we had to do to play better on the defensive side of the ball as far as communicating, tackling, getting turnovers. So anything to help us as a defense that we didn’t do in that game.
“We all wanted to play this game again. We’re happy that we get to play them.”
Dottery said the defense did some things well but didn’t take advantage of some of those situations.
“Very frustrating not being able to capitalize on third and longs, fourth and shorts, trying to get off the field,” Dottery said. “I feel like in a lot of those situations a guy was misaligned or misassigned vs them just one-on-one making a play.”
Dottery did like something that has changed since that game. Pete Golding is now on the sideline after getting promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach after Lane Kiffin left for LSU following the Egg Bowl.
Golding made his debut in the Rebels’ 41-10 win over Tulane in the first round.
“It’s awesome,” Dottery said. “I actually like it when he’ll be on the sideline. So when he wants to tell us something you can see him face to face. He’ll be able to actually draw it on the board vs hearing him through a headset since he’s all the way up in a box. “
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss vs Georgia, how Rebels are fixing defense for Sugar Bowl
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